The Hearing
by Poncho D
Summary: Sakuya goes before Congress to take on her enemies! PG for mild sexual references.


* * * * Still working on Yugi's Gift. Fifth chapter will be up soon. Meanwhile, I have decided on a humorous way to present my opinion to all the anti-Sakuya people out there. Now don't worry, I won't be harsh, since this is *not* meant to be a "basher-bashing" fic. But do read and review. I bet even anti- Sakuya people will like it (hee hee). * * * *  
  
Outside, on the steps of the Capitol Building, Tenchi smiled down at his girlfriend, as he adjusted the collar of her dress one more time. "You look great!" he complimented as she smoothed down the skirt. "You ready?"  
  
"I hope so," Sakuya smiled nervously. "I've never even been to America before, let alone Washington, D.C."  
  
"Don't worry," Tenchi soothed, "those idiots in there don't have a case at all. You'll be fine!"  
  
"Thanks!" She said, glancing at her watch. "I have to go, Tenchi."  
  
They kissed quickly. "Knock 'em dead, sweetheart."  
  
-  
  
"Miss Kumashiro," the rail-thin, gray-headed senator said, looking at her over the rims of his little square-framed glasses, "before we begin, do you swear that the testimony you are about to give to this panel is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"  
  
"I do," she nodded.  
  
"In that case, I would like to welcome you to Washington, D.C., and to thank you for taking the time to come here, and answer these charges.  
  
"Thank you, Senator Williams."  
  
"You're quite welcome," the senator said with a smile, then looked down at his notes. "Now then, to begin: I would like for you to answer the charge that you are, quote, 'not real.'"  
  
Sakuya actually laughed. Were they going to make this that easy? "That's quite obviously not a valid charge, Senator, as I could hardly be sitting here speaking to you if..."  
  
"Miss Kumashiro," the senator warned.  
  
"I apologize, gentlemen. But I can testify, under oath, that I am quite as real as you are. Although I admit that I was not created by an Act of God, and that I have no real parents," she coughed lightly, then leaned back to the microphone, "that fact that I *was* created, that I exist, is indisputable. For example, in one episode of Tenchi in Tokyo," she paused, glancing at the other members of the panel,"ahem, known to some of you as Shin Tenchi Muyo, there was a scene in which I was depicted alone, crying to myself because of recent traumatic events in my life."  
  
"I recall that episode." the senator nodded.  
  
"Now then," she continued, "I submit that had I not been real, then such a thing would hardly be possible, as I would have appeared only to my friends, and those whom my creator deemed appropriate, such as Tenchi, er, Mister Masaki. That, however is obviously not the case. I have my own personality, my own emotions, and a physical body with all the responsibilities thereof."  
  
"Very well, Miss Kumashiro, your point is taken. Next, speaking of physical bodies, how do you respond to the charge that you are, quote, 'a whore, a hussy,' unquote, and the quotation uses several other similar terms, which I will not mention here."  
  
Sakuya put on her most indignant face. "That charge, sir, is obviously baseless and without proof. Although I share the same interest in males that the female members of this panel do," she gestured to the members, and the three women on the panel nodded, "I have *never* paraded my body, or offered sexual favors to anyone, certainly not with the intent of any financial gain."  
  
"I can dispute that," one female member, a blond woman who looked to be between fifty-five and sixty years of age, argued. "Certain witnesses have testified to this panel that you were once seen walking around Tokyo in some *very* revealing attire."  
  
Okay, she thought, now they were getting tough. "Ma'am with all due respect, the testimony of those witnesses borders on perjury, as they failed to mention that I was on the beach at the time. If wearing a bikini on the beach is a crime, then several of my friends, who were with me at the time, should be sitting here next to me. Having said that, the most revealing piece of clothing I have ever worn, other than my bathing suit, is a skirt, which I wore with a long-sleeved shirt."  
  
"I see," the woman said. "And the anonymous witness who claimed to have seen you enter Mister, ah, Masaki's, home? I point out that Mister Masaki lived alone at the time, so the opportunity for an impropriety could hardly have been more perfect."  
  
"I have no physical proof to offer against that charge," Sakuya said, looking down at the table. Several of the members raised their eyebrows. "But I testify," she added, "that nothing sexual took place in that apartment. Mister Masaki and I kept our relationship very proper. And I would like to point out that those witnesses offered no evidence to support their claims either."  
  
"Quite true, Miss Kumashiro," the presiding senator said. "Moving on, you have quite often been accused of being, quote, 'clingy, whiney, and annoying.' How do you respond to this?"  
  
A surge of anger clenched at her gut, and she fought to control her temper. "Senator," she said, in a low, menacing tone, obviously fighting the urge to leap out of her seat, "I would like for you to think about something for a moment.  
  
"Just for a moment, I want you to put yourself in my position. Imagine you are suddenly dropped into existence on an alien world. Your memories have been destroyed, you have no past, and likely no future. After a few days of this, a few people call themselves your friends, but mutter behind your back about how strange you are, and how they wonder what kind of dark secrets you are hiding. You are completely lost and alone, in a world of over six billion people.  
  
"That is what happened to me, Senator," she spat out the last word. "And then I met the one person who really cared. Even though he didn't really understand, he never judged me, or talked about me behind my back." Her voice began to rise. "He held me when I cried, gave me direction when I was totally lost, and he was the only person who showed genuine interest in my personal wellbeing." She was yelling now. "He was the only person on the entire planet that I knew! You better believe I clung to him like a bloody life raft!"  
  
"MISS KUMASHIRO!" the senator yelled back over her continuing tirade. "I suggest you regain your composure immediately. Hysterics will not aid your case, and in fact these people," he gestured to the panel, "share a strong distaste for such a lack of self-control."  
  
She lowered her voice back to a reasonable level. "I apologize, Senator, ladies and gentleman." She looked down at the table in front of her, and took a sip from the little glass of ice water. "But I leave you with the words I just gave you. I ask that you think about my situation, and make your decision based solely on the merits of what you have heard, not on political convenience."  
  
-  
  
For a long time, Senator Williams sat in his inner sanctum, brooding over the case young Miss Kumashiro had just presented. Her outburst, though inexcusable, was certainly understandable. Supposing her words were true, which was likely, given the genuine emotion in her voice and eyes, as well as the fact that she was under oath, he could hardly blame the girl for her predicament, and the way she responded to it. However.  
  
He made his decision, and called for his aid to reconvene the hearing.  
  
-  
  
Tenchi's face should have lit up like a camera flash when she appeared, but didn't. He was far too nervous. His kind words before the hearing were merely meant to calm her, as well as himself. Although Sakuya, in his opinion, was just about the sweetest female on the planet, for some reason, she had drawn a lot of enemies, and Tenchi was fully aware of the possibility that they might decide against her.  
  
There she was, making her way down the zillion steps of the Capitol, and across the grounds to him.  
  
She just stood there, looking at him with a completely blank expression. He prepared a look of sympathy, and deep hurt at her news.  
  
"Tenchi," she said quietly, looking up at him.  
  
"Well?" he asked.  
  
"I WON!!" She shouted.  
  
Tenchi gave a whoop of glee, and threw his arms around her, spinning her around until they both were nearly too dizzy to stand.  
  
"Oh, Sakuya, that's wonderful!" he breathed.  
  
When her feet found the ground again, she looked up at him and said, "So, what now?"  
  
"Anything you want," Tenchi promised, "anything in the world, as long as I can give it."  
  
"Well," she muttered, blushing, "I was hoping for a.ahem.um, reward for having gotten through all this." Despite the red embarrassment on her face, her eyebrows danced up and down.  
  
Tenchi's happiness intensified. Hell yes, he thought. He would find a decent hotel room somewhere in Washington, and reward her all night.  
  
"Come on," he said, taking her by the hand, "let's go." 


End file.
